


Papa

by GrrHatLet



Series: Baby Claudia [1]
Category: Interview With the Vampire (1994)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Baby Claudia, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen, Parent-Child Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-10
Updated: 2016-12-10
Packaged: 2018-09-07 14:15:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8804026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrrHatLet/pseuds/GrrHatLet
Summary: Lestat and Louis get a second chance at fatherhood, and now raise Claudia from infancy. But things are somewhat harder than Lestat imagined. Is it too much raising a baby girl?





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Burnadette_dpdl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burnadette_dpdl/gifts).



> Something happy was promised. We have a decent amount of Louis and Claudia fics out there (decent...), but not nearly enough Lestat and Claudia. Obvious reasons, no doubt, but he did love her in his own way. 
> 
> This is a sort of alternate universe where they adopt Claudia—without turning her—as a baby instead.

Lestat plucked a despicable object from his hair and glared at the massacre of a room. To say he loved his daughter would be an insult—he would _die_ for her—but _twelve days_ of this and the vampire was past his wit’s end! In not two weeks, their home—a paradise for a doublet of undead—had been overturned into a natal nightmare! Toys, picture books, and numerous…substances were carelessly strewn about the floor. And what did Louis have to say about this?

She’s just a baby, Lestat. She doesn’t know how to govern herself, Lestat. She doesn’t need a leash or harness, Lestat. Truly, insufferably maddening!

And _now_ the greedy creature was demanding his attention up in her room. Completely heedless to whether her busy father could be occupied in some matter—not that he was, but the _principle_ —and loathe to be interrupted by a spontaneous bawl from the story above.

Lestat raked a hand down his face, releasing a low, elongated growl, before soaring merrily over the banister to land at the lip of the nursery.

Preparing valiantly to vanquish the evil that so tormented his _defenseless_ child, he swept into the room, grabbing his daughter’s attention.

Oh, look at that. She had stopped crying.

But Lestat had come for fisticuffs with a foe—and a foe he _would_ face before leaving this room.

Closing the door behind him, he noted the nursery's similar state: puzzles, clothes, stuffed animals… All _selfless_ gifts from he and Louis, her two loving, devoted, committed fathers, thrown about like so much tripe. And what had she to say to him? Absolutely nothing! Just a blank stare, devoid of tears, holding his gaze from the cloud-shaped rug.

Lestat matched her staring game, however, and topped his off with a pair of fangs.

“Claudia, Claudia, Claudia…” he crossed the room in three easy strides. “Twelve days we’ve had our tiffs, and this is the peak of them all. You know I could forgive the mash-stained cushions, the digested and disposed cuff-links, the formula on my smoking jacket—which was _dry clean only,_ young lady—and the utter chaos that has become my home since the day we rescued you from the orphanage…”

Claudia said nothing. So indifferent to matters that did not concern herself.

Lestat kneeled so that they were at eye-level. “But do you think that just because Louis is out you are owed my whole, undivided attention? The fact that I’ve been urging him to give me further responsibility over you is irrelevant! The point is, my dear, that seeing to your welfare is no easy task.”

And here he knelt as far as possible, crouched enough for his daughter to blink at his pale face. He smiled slowly. “So pray tell, _mon petit_ , what do _I_ get out of this?”

Claudia diverted her gaze and stared at the large, pink flowers on the colorful wall. Lestat rolled his eyes and thought about all the times their encounters had ended much like this. So soon, so unfinished, and with not the barest hint of remorse from her side! Truly, perhaps she had learned more from him than he knew.

Suddenly her big blue eyes landed directly on her father, startling the vampire. A tiny smile blossomed along her face, and two little hands reached out.

“ _Pa_ -pa!”

Lestat lost every fragment of self-control. Two powerful arms shot forth.

He peppered her darling face with careful kisses. Gently petted her small, sweet head. Cradled her between the fit of his jaw and shoulder.

He forgot all about clothes, bedrooms, spills, and smoking jackets. He forgot about the blocks he nearly tripped on during his stroll to the kitchen and the curtains too soiled to ever replace again. He gathered his baby girl into his arms and hugged her doll-sized body close.

“ _Oui_ _cheri,_ Papa loves you so!”


End file.
